KVRR’s 2017 Year in Review

a look back at the top headlines of the year

But with every year, there come the stories that show the good, the bad and the ugly of society. Here’s a review of Fargo’s 2017 from the many people throughout the community trying to make a difference to the tragedies this community will never forget.

DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to advance the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Protests started at the pipeline in early 2016 in Morton County. It was then stalled by President Barack Obama late in the year.
Native American tribes worried the pipeline could harm the environment.

“It’s very unfortunate. I think it just continues to setback the relationships between the United States government and our sovereign nations,” said Barry Nelson with the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.

Protesters were ordered to clear the pipeline’s main site in February, but many did not go willingly.

FALLEN OFFICERS HONORED

Just 11 months after the death of Fargo Police Officer Jason Moszer a second officer was killed in the line of duty.
Rolette County Sheriff’s Deputy Colt Allery was one of many officers responding to a stolen vehicle call.
Allery was killed in the shootout after the chase.
And Mozser was honored along with 233 other police officers during National Police Week.
Many of Fargo’s officers attended the 36th Annual National Peace Officer’s Memorial Service. They wore Officer Mozser’s number outlined in blue on their badges.
Mozser died in February 2016 responding to a domestic violence call.

YOUTUBE STUNT GONE WRONG

In June, 20-year-old Monalisa Perez shot and killed her boyfriend, 22-year-old Pedro Ruiz the third while filming a video meant for YouTube.
He was holding a book and hoped it would stop the bullet.
Perez says she fired from about a foot away.
The bullet went through the book and killed Ruiz.

WALMART PARKING LOT INCIDENT

Also in June a video went viral of Amber Hensley harassing two Somali women in the parking lot at Walmart.
Hensley later apologized to the community and then the women in a meeting organized by the Fargo police chief.

F-M DIVERSION PROJECT IS HALTED

A federal judge’s ruling stopped the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project back in the fall.
Governors Mark Dayton and Doug Burgum formed a task force to try and find common ground between the two states.
The commission is expected to release recommendation shortly after the new year.

DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF SAVANNA GREYWIND

Twenty-two year old Savanna Greywind was kidnapped and murdered in August.
She was eight months pregnant and went missing.
Her baby, Haisley Jo, was found in an upstairs neighbor’s apartment. Greywind was later found dead in the Red River.
Greywind’s neighbor, Brook Crews, pleaded guilty to conspiring with her boyfriend, William Hoehn, to murder Savanna Greywind in Cass County Court.

ASHLEY HUNTER SENTENCING

“My hardcore question to be asked is ‘how are you doing’. Unprovoked violent crime of this magnitude should be dealt with loss of freedom forever. Life in prison, without parole,” said MaryAnn Traut, Samuel Traut’s mother.

That’s exactly the prison sentence Ashley Hunter received September for stabbing Clarence Flowers and attacking Samuel Traut with a hammer, two years ago.
In addition to the two life terms for the murders, Hunter received ten years for arson, after trying to dispose of evidence by setting one of the victim’s homes on fire.

CARA MUND CROWNED MISS AMERICA

Twenty-three-year-old Cara Mund became the first North Dakotan to win the Miss America crown.
Mund grew up in Bismarck.
After her reign, she plans to go to law school at the University of Notre Dame.

ALEXANDRIA TEEN RETURNS HOME

Fifteen-year-old Jasmine Block escaped from captivity in September.
She was lured from her home in August by a family acquaintance.
Block eventually was able to make a break for it.
A local farmer in Barrett, Minnesota, found Block in his field.

PRESIDENT TRUMP VISITS BISMARCK

In his first visit to North Dakota as president, Donald Trump talked tax reform in front of a crowd of 700 invited guests in Mandan.
Trump emphasized a bipartisan tax reform even though more Republicans support his proposal than Democrats.
He criticized the tax codes complexity and slammed businesses which help file tax returns.

AL FRANKEN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

Senator Al Franken announced he would resign after multiple accusations of sexual harassment.
Franken was accused of groping a radio news anchor in Los Angeles during a 2006 USO tour.
Several other women came out with allegations against Franken later on.

CARSON WENTZ TEARS ACL

Former NDSU quarterback Carson Wentz bloomed into a superstar in his second NFL season.
He dazzled fans with weekly highlights and led the NFL in touchdown passes, powering the Philadelphia Eagles to the best record in the NFC before his season was cut short when he tore his ACL in December.

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